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When Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) arrived in Gweru in 2004, in a joint operation with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the effort brought amazing improvement in the citys health delivery system.

By Moses Mugugunyeki

Passengers push a truck along the muddy Nembudziya-Mashame road recently The poor road network has immensely contributed to the demise of the health delivery system in Gokwe North.

The people of Gweru were happy with the new health services brought to them. Seven years down the line however, it depressingly dawned on the people that what they had believed to be a life-long health menu, was in fact a temporary meal ticket.

While the government was aware that it was a temporary health delivery arrangement, it failed to capitalise on the availability of the health expertise to impart knowledge to local personnel to enable the continuation of such a health delivery system at the expiry of the joint venture.

So, when the MSF Gweru contract came to an end in 2011, the inadequacy was exposed. Serious challenges in the treatment of HIV and Aids and tuberculosis (TB), especially drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), resurfaced.

MSF, which had by then moved on to Gokwe North, apparently noticed the problem that had befallen Gweru and were determined not to let the same thing happen at their next port of call.

The strategy that we used in Gweru created gaps in the health delivery system after MSF had left, said Stambuli Kim, communications officer for MSF. Our objective in Gokwe North was then to reduce morbidity and mortality as a result of especially HIV and Aids and TB. We also ensured that activities would continue independently after MSF pulled out.

Zhomba Clinic

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MSF breathes life into Gokwe North health care system